Slicing machine



A. B. TEWES SLICING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed Deo. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l y IAM/Env TOR A. B. TEWES SLICING MACHINE April 3, 1934.

Filed Dec. 20, 1930- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 strap sursis PAT i153 FFE SLICING MACHINE of Missouri Application December 20, 1930, Serial No. 503,769

6 Claims. (Cl. 1116-153) This invention relates generally to slicing machines. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in machines especially adapted for the slicing of baked loaves of bread and the like, and'has for its chief object the provision of a manually-fed or so-called semi-automatic machine of relatively simple and inexpensive construction for effecting with speed, convenience, economy, and emciency the division into uniform slices of the successively fed baked loaves. y

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a slicing machine embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the machine comprises a main or feed-plate A suitably disposed and fixed horizontally upon supporting standards B adapted to rest upon a floor or the like.

Suitably fixed to, and in parallelism upstanding for the most Apart from approximately opposite sides of, the feed-plate A, and rigidly tied together at their upper ends, as by a cross or to-p plate 1, are side walls or members 2, 2, which at their lower portions project somewhat below the plane of the feed-plate A,r asbest seen in Figure 1, and which, in association `with the cross-plate l, form what may be described as an inverted approximately U-shaped frame or support C for the slicing-knives and their actuating mechanism, the feed-plate A being slotted or apertured, as at 3, intermediate the support walls 2, for freely accommodating reciprocatory movement of the slicing-knives and their frames, as presently fully appearing.

The support side-members 2 are lengthwise in registration preferably obliquely slotted, as at 4, and suitably fixed lengthwise in the slots 4 of the members 2, are track-members 5, each provided longitudinally with an inwardly presented or opening preferably V-groove 6, which is disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined plane relatively to the plane of the feed-plate A, as best seen in Figure 1.

Disposed intermediate the support side-members 2 and for movement transversely to the feedplate A and through the feed-plate slot 3, is a pair of parallel approximately rectangular knifeframes D, each provided upon the opposite ends of its side-members with track-engaging pieces Y '7, each, in turn, formed with an oppositely bev- $30 eled or conical outer face, as at 8, for interitting movable engagement with the iixed grooved track-members 5.

Each frame D carries a plurality of laterally spaced slicing-knives E disposed vertically in the respective frame, and each of which has a forwardly presented wave-like cutting edge, as is customary in bread-slicing machines, the knives E of one frame being in transverse alternate alignment'with the knives E of the other frame, L and each pair of alternate knives E being interiittingly spaced apart in approximately a common plane a distance equal to the thickness of the slice to be cut, all as more fully described in Letters Patent No. 1,784,397, issued to me under date of December 9, 1930, and in my co-pending application Serial No. 417,886, led January 2, w30, to which reference is made.

The top-plate 1 of the knife-support C is formed with a rearward extension 1a, and mounted thereupon are bearings 9, journalled for rotation in which is a shaft l0 carrying a fly or drive-wheel or pulley 11. And suitably mounted upon and fixed to the top-plate 1, is a primemover, such as a motor F, whose shaft carries a pulley 12 having belt or other drive-connection, as at 13, with the wheel or pulley 11.

Also mounted in suitable bearings 14 fixed on the top-plate 1, is a shaft 15, fixed, in turn, to which is a rock-lever G, which comprises a pair of opposed arms 16 and an intermediate arm 17 disposed right-singularly to the arms 16, and pivotally connected at an end, as at 18, to the free end of arm 17, is a strap or connecting-link'19 eccentrically pivotally attached at its other end, as at 20, to the y-wheel 11.

vFixed upon the upper cross-bar of each frame D, is a pair of opposed ears 21, and projecting for movement through a slot 22 provided in the top-plate 1, is a pair of links 23 respectively pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the arms 16 and the pairs of ears 21. Hence it will be evident that, on actuation of the wheel or pulley 11, the rock-lever G will be oscillated or rocked and the frames VD and their carried knives E oppositely reciprocated in the support C and transversely across or through the feed-plate A.

Extending crosswise of, and forwardly of the knive-frames D slidable longitudinally on, the feed-plate A, is a ram or plunger 24, and also ex- 110 tending crosswise of, and mounted for oscillatory movement in bearings 25 suitably nxed upon and at or adjacent the forward margin of the plate A, is a rock-shaft 26, Xed to which intermediate its ends, as best seen in Figure 2, is a manually actuable hand-grip 27.

Also xed to, and disposed adjacent the respective opposite ends of, the rock-shaft 26, are arms 28, and pivotally connected at an end, as at 29, to the free end of the respective arms 28 and at their other end, as at 30, to the ram 24, are links 31, whereby, on rocking-actuation of theV shaft 26 by means of the hand or gripping lever 27, the ram 24 will be slidably reciprocated toward and from the frames D and their carried knives E, the ram 24 having suitably attached thereto and including a feeding-comb 32 whose rearwardlypresented fingers 33 preferably correspond in number and size to the number and spacing of the knives E, so as, on rearward actuation of the ram 24, to feed or shift the particular loaf both to and through the slicing-knives E, the rain 24 being held to the feed-plate A as by means of headed-bolt devices or the like 34 disposed for movement in guide-slots 35 provided for the purpose longitudinally in the feed-plate A.

Fixed longitudinally and adjacent a side margin of the -feed-table or plate A in advance or forwardly of the frames D, is a loaf-retaining wall or bracket 35, and also fixed longitudinally upon the feed-table A in alignment with the bracket 36, but disposed to the rear of the frames D, is a substantially similar loaf-retaining wall or bracket 37, adapted for loaf-retaining cooperation with which is an opposed wall or bracket 38 disposed for adjustment transversely of the feedplate A for retaining engagement with different Isize sliced loaves 'and suitably attached to the table A as by Va suitable headed-bolt device or the like 39 disposed for movement in a transverse slot 40 provided for the purpose in the plate A.

In use and operation, a baked bread-loaf H to be sliced is suitably disposed transversely of and upon the feed-plate A to temporarily reside endwise against the fixed wall 36 and sidewise against the lingers 33 of the feeding-comb 32, the ram 24 'being in retracted position. The ram 24 is now, by means of its actuating handle or lever 27, actuated to push the loaf I-I toward and through the reciprocating knives E, each lpair thereof cutting a slice of bread therebetween, the sliced loaf being compactly retained in pre-sliced form between Athe co-operating walls 37 and 38, from which the sliced loaf vmay be conveniently vremoved for wrapping and distribution. In such slicing operation, the several knives E oppositely reciprocate in a plane obliquely disposed tothe path of travel of the fed-loaves and thereby efficiently veffect a slicing of the loaf without breaking or injuring the crust, and it will be readily understood that the slices so cut, one frame of `knives vmoving upwardly and the other frame movingdownwardly, are more or less free from the displacing'effect of the slicing operation, one side of each slice being subject to an upward trend, while the other side is subject to a downward'and neutralizing trend.

And as a :precaution against displacement of the slices, the machineis preferably equipped 'with a stripping and vhold-down device J provided onthe frame C asbest seen in Figure 1, the device J including a pluralityofforwardl'y presented suitably s'paced, yielding fingers'il fiorengagingthe loaf both while 'it is being sliced and after completion lof the slicing operation.

I may add that the moving parts of the machine are preferably equipped with enclosed anti-friction bearings, whereby not only are the breadloaves during their travel through the machine protected from machine-lubrication, but also the machine actuates with speed and smoothness and with little vibration. Further, the knife-frame actuating mechanism of the machine being l0- cated on the plate 1 on a plane elevated from the path of travel of the several bread-loaves through the machine, their actuation and movement are not in any way affected or interferred with by falling bread-crumbs or the like necessarily resultingfrom the slicing operations.

It its to be understood that various changes and modiications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those Vherein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my inventi'on. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A bread-loaf slicing-machine comprising, in combination, a main frame including afeed-plate, a second frame upstanding from the main frame, the second frame including a top-plate infspaced relation to the feed-plate, a pair of knife-carrying frames mounted on the second frame for movement transversely of and through the feedplate, and means including a rock-lever mounted for 'oscillation on said top plate for oppositely reciprocating the knife frames relatively to the feed-plate.

2. A bread-loaf slicing-machine, comprising, in combination, a main frame including a-feedplate, a second frame upstanding from the main frame, the second frame including a slotted topplate, a pair vof knife-carrying frames mounted on the second frame for movement transversely of and through the feed-plate, and means for oppositely reciprocating the knife frames relatively to the feed-plate, said ymeans including -a rocklever mounted for oscillation on said top plate, and links disposed through the slot of the'top plateand Vpivotally connecting said lever with the respective knife frames.

3. A bread-loaf slicing-machine, comprising, in combination, a main frame including a feedplate, a second Vframe 'upstanding from the main frame, 'the second frame including a slotted 'topplate in spaced relation to the feed-plate, a pair of knife-carrying frames mounted on the second frame for movement transversely of and 'through the feed-plate, a rock-lever mounted for oscillation on the top-plate, links disposed through the slot of the top plateand pivotally connecting said lever with the respective knife frames, and means 'for oscillating' the rock-lever for oppositely 'reciprocating the knifeyframes relatively to the feed-plate.

4. In a bread-loaf slicing-machine, in combination, a mainframe including a feed-plate, a second frame upstanding from the -main frame and including Va slotted top-'plate in spaced relation to the .feed-plate, a fpair vof knife-'carrying frames mounted on the second frame for movement transversely "of Vand through 'the feed-plate, and means foroppositely Yreciprocating vthe knife frames relatively to 'the feed-plate, said means including a rock-lever-moun'ted for oscillation Von said top plate, saidlever comprising la pair 'of opposed arms and an intermediateffarm'right angul'arly disposed to the first arms, links disposed through the slot fof 'thetop :plate and pivotally CIA connecting the respective knife frames with said opposed arms, a pulley mounted for rotation on said tcp plate, and a link pivotally connecting said right-angular arm eccentrically to the pulley.

5. In a bread-loaf slicing-machine, in combination, a main frame including a slotted feedplate, a second frame upstanding from the main frame and including a top-plate disposed in a plane spaced from and over the feed-plate, a pair of knife-carrying frames mounted for movement on the second frame and through the slot of the feed-plate, and means mounted on said top-plate and having connection with the respective knife frames for oppositely reciprocating the same relatively to said second frame and the feed-plate.

6. In a bread-loaf slicing-machine, in cornbination, a main frame, a slotted feed-plate on the main-frame, a second frame including a topplate disposed over and in a plane elevated from the plane of the feed-plate, a plurality of sets of lengthwise movable-slicing knives, means located on said top-plate and having connection with said sets of knives for oppositely reciprocating said sets of knives through the slot of and relatively to the feed-plate, and means including a ram mounted for reciprocation on the feed-plate for feeding the successive loaves for slicing to and through the reciprocating sets of knives.

ANTHONY B. TEWES. 

